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  Cosa Nostra: The Notorious History and Legacy of the Sicilian Mafia , Hörbuch, Digital, ungekürzt, 90min

  [T]he term mafia found a class of violent criminals ready and waiting for a name to define them, and, given their special character and importance in Sicilian society, they had the right to a different name from that defining vulgar criminals in other countries. (Leopoldo Franchetti, 1876)It is hard to find an island on the map more central than Sicily. Located at the crossroads between Europe and Africa, and between the Eastern and Western Mediterranean, Sicily has rarely been governed as an independent, unified state, yet the island has always occupied a front-row seat to some of the most important events in history, and nowhere is this more obvious than during antiquity.Over the course of the 19th century, the people of Sicily found themselves at the center of a struggle for freedom, one that ended up being long and often very bloody. It was during these crucial years of struggle that the Sicilian mafia, La Cosa Nostra ("Our Thing"), started to take shape. The original word "mafia" was a part of Palermitan slang, and although the origins of the word are not completely certain, some linguistic historians believe it originally meant "flashy". One historian of the mafia, Salvatore Lupo, helpfully suggests that it was used in its earliest iterations to vaguely refer to a "pathological relationship among politics, society, and criminality."In response to the rise of the mafia, the Italian state propagated a doctrine of Sicilian backwardness, which they used to introduce martial law and suspend civil liberties, under the pretext that they were not "ready" for the freedoms enjoyed by other Italian regions. Northerners and foreigners mistakenly (and snobbishly) believed that the mafia was just a relic of the primitive, peasant culture that had dominated the island for centuries, and that it was destined to die out once the island had been properly absorbed into the dominant, mainland culture. Others hypothesized that the corruption ungekürzt. Language: English. Narrator: Jim D. Johnston. Audio sample: https://samples.audible.de/bk/acx0/161967/bk_acx0_161967_sample.mp3. Digital audiobook in aax.

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  Basque Country: The Turbulent History and Legacy of the Basque Autonomous Community in Spain , Hörbuch, Digital, ungekürzt, 79min

  It would not be a stretch to say that for a very tiny geographical territory (just 20,747 square kilometers), the Basque Country has inspired a plethora of intense stereotypes. Some of these stereotypes have been cast upon its people from the outside, while others have been strategically propagated by the people themselves.For such a small area of land that is home to only 3,000,000 people, the Basque Country is anything but small in terms of its history, which is why opinions about its people are so intense, so consequential, and so contradictory.The Basque people have been called “the people who sing and dance at the foot of the Pyrenees”, a description that evokes not only their geographical location but also their strong folk traditions. Those words, said by the famous French writer Victor Hugo, infuriate the Basque people to this day. They have also been described pejoratively as “Europe’s aboriginals”, a reference to the age-old status of their culture, which has led many people to fetishize them and their language as ancient. In a much loftier vein, they also have been thought to be the “original” true European natives, the people who established the most prestigious, celebrated elements of European culture. While such small-minded stereotypes rightly tend to antagonize the Basque people, many Basque nationalists have been eager to cultivate an image of their culture as unique and separate from Spain and from France, the larger nations that engulf its territory and that threaten its autonomy. Basque nationalists are eager to point to the rich tradition of archeologists, politicians, anthropologists, nationalists and folklorists who have grown out of their culture. They have embraced their status as the oldest surviving European people, and they have celebrated their language, Euskera, as one of the world’s oldest spoken languages, a non-Indo-European tongue that can brag about having no other related languages in existence. ungekürzt. Language: English. Narrator: Colin Fluxman. Audio sample: https://samples.audible.de/bk/acx0/194158/bk_acx0_194158_sample.mp3. Digital audiobook in aax.

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  In God's Path: The Arab Conquests and the Creation of an Islamic Empire , Hörbuch, Digital, ungekürzt, 594min

  In just over a hundred years - from the death of Muhammad in 632 to the beginning of the Abbasid Caliphate in 750 - the followers of the Prophet swept across the whole of the Middle East, North Africa, and Spain. Their armies threatened states as far flung as the Franks in Western Europe and the Tang Empire in China. The conquered territory was larger than the Roman Empire at its greatest expansion, and it was claimed for the Arabs in roughly half the time. How this collection of Arabian tribes was able to engulf so many empires, states, and armies in such a short period has perplexed historians for centuries. Most accounts of the Arab invasions have been based almost solely on the early Muslim sources, which were composed centuries later to illustrate the divinely chosen status of the Arabs. Robert Hoyland's groundbreaking new history assimilates not only the rich biographical information of the early Muslim sources but also the many non-Arabic sources, contemporaneous or near-contemporaneous with the conquests. In God's Path begins with a broad picture of the Late Antique world prior to the Prophet's arrival, a world dominated by two superpowers: Byzantium and Sasanian Persia. In between these empires, emerged a distinct Arabian identity, which helped forge the inhabitants of western Arabia into a formidable fighting force. The Arabs are the principal actors in this drama yet, as Hoyland shows, the peoples along the edges of Byzantium and Persia - the Khazars, Bulgars, Avars, and Turks - all played critical roles in the remaking of the old world order. The new faith propagated by Muhammad and his successors made it possible for many of the conquered peoples to join the Arabs in creating the first Islamic Empire. Well-paced, comprehensive, and eminently readable, In God's Path presents a sweeping narrative of a transformational period in world history. PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference m ungekürzt. Language: English. Narrator: Peter Ganim. Audio sample: https://samples.audible.de/bk/adbl/021448/bk_adbl_021448_sample.mp3. Digital audiobook in aax.

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  The Judgement Game: The Mason Jar Series, Book 1 , Hörbuch, Digital, ungekürzt, 580min

  Billy Jay Cader came from an abusive past. Self-preservation forced him to run away at the age of 14. His daddy was full of demons and played a sadistic game in a lottery-type punishment with his boy. When Billy Jay ran from his daddy, he hoped to outrun those demons as well. As time passed, he realized he hadn't been able to flee fast enough to escape them. Now those mental monsters were tightly nestled within. He was the new vessel to carry his daddy's wrath.This is the story of how that monster from his past propagated into Billy Jay's psyche and took over, compelling him to become the next generation of evil. Billy Jay's young sons, Billy James, and Darrell Lee were now the recipients of his wrath as his hopeless, drunken wife watched from a distance.The story begins from the early Cader family traditions and the morally depraved control that the game of the Mason Jar truly possesses. The twisted and deranged values of retribution for wrongs committed, through a game of chance. This series is the one to compel you to binge listen and then crave the next allocation to see where the madness takes you. Full of mystery, evil, twisted love, erotica, lies, and murder. Billy Jay Cader is pure evil incarnate, drawing a small forgotten coastal town along the Gulf of Florida, circa the 80s, into the web of a sociopath on a journey to destruction. His own? Or everyone that he encounters?Buy a ticket and ride a roller-coaster of fear battling faith, the past conquering hope, and the unforgiving allure of a simple game constructed of wood squares and a glass mason jar. A game capable of destroying lives with a simple shake and release of the small wooden punishment tile. The Mason Jar Series written by Eli Pope book two The Spark of Wrath is coming soon.  ungekürzt. Language: English. Narrator: Paul J McSorley. Audio sample: https://samples.audible.de/bk/acx0/220962/bk_acx0_220962_sample.mp3. Digital audiobook in aax.

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  Philosophers: The Best Ancient and Recent Philosophical Ideas and Views , Hörbuch, Digital, ungekürzt, 673min

  New and old perspectives on metaphysics, life, and our entire existence. Book 1: Thomas Aquinas The Italian philosopher, Thomas Aquinas, has had a major impact on Christian theology, the uprise of Scholasticism, and the Roman Catholic Church. His renowned Summa Theologica emphasize the five pieces of evidence that God exists. Book 2: David Hume David Hume was a Scottish philosopher and historian. He was also known for his essays and economic analyses. He supported empiricism, skepticism, and naturalism in his own way, which sheds light on life and reasoning in a distinct manner he propagated in various, ethical ways. Book 3: Erasmus He stood for humanism, children’s rights, and theological ideologies that he wasn’t afraid to spread across the Dutch nation, which was going through some dramatic transformations at that time. His political and theological ideas should not be ignored, and as a Christian philosopher, he has had a huge impact on the distant culture of the Netherlands, Protestantism, and more. Book 4: John Locke Although considered a pure politician and idealist by some, John Locke’s philosophical views on life have inspired many to take a step back and reassess the nature of governments, property, and human rights. He was an advocate of freedom and liberty. His influence cannot be underestimated when looking at the philosophical debates that have been held since his time, let alone during his lifetime. Book 5: Immanuel Kant Immanuel Kant was born in the 18th Century, in Prussia. He set the stage for German philosophy in the following century. According to Kant, philosophy is the result of human reasoning. He reasoned about metaphysics, intelligible objects, and ethics. Book 6: Plato He founded one of the first organized academies in western civilization. His standings on life and perceptions have been quoted and referred to worldwide for centuries. He wrot ungekürzt. Language: English. Narrator: Eric LaCord, William Bennett, Alasdair Cunningham, Jason Neeser. Audio sample: https://samples.audible.de/bk/acx0/140163/bk_acx0_140163_sample.mp3. Digital audiobook in aax.

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  The Narrative Gym: Introducing the ABT Framework for Messaging and Communication , Hörbuch, Digital, ungekürzt, 100min

  The Narrative Gym by Dr. Randy Olson presents a new model for messaging and communication. It's a short, practical guide to the ABT Framework (And, But, Therefore) which needs to be on the desk of everyone crafting a message, essay, strategy, novel, campaign, proposal, presentation, screenplay, argument, joke, ballad, report...pretty much all communication.There is no other audiobook on the ABT framework. There is no other analytical model for narrative structure like the ABT framework. This is a new and unique resource. The ABT seems like something from elementary school and at its core is as old as the ancient Greeks, but the formulation only began less than a decade ago.The original insights for this communication model come from Hollywood screenwriting. The importance of the three words (And, But, Therefore) began with legendary screenwriting instructor Frank Daniel of the U.S.C. School of Cinematic Arts who in a 1986 speech first talked of replacing the word “and” with either “but” or “therefore” to strengthen the narrative content of a text. This was propagated by his students, then articulated by the co-creators of the animated series, South Park, in a 2011 documentary. Randy Olson formulated the ABT Narrative Template (“___ And ___ But ___ Therefore ___”) in his 2013 TEDMED Talk, and his 2015 book, Houston, We Have a Narrative. It is at the heart of how humans have communicated for thousands of years. You can see it in the Gettysburg Address, nursery rhymes, argumentation, comic structure, myths, the billion-viewed “Call Me Maybe” song from Carlie Rae Jepsen, the 1600s poem “To His Coy Mistress", blockbuster movies - on and on. It's at the core of everything memorable because it is narrative itself. The bottom line is: You’ve got something to say and you know it’s important, but you’re having trouble boiling it down to its powerful and essential core, therefore you need the ABT framework. ungekürzt. Language: English. Narrator: Randy Olson. Audio sample: https://samples.audible.de/bk/acx0/233984/bk_acx0_233984_sample.mp3. Digital audiobook in aax.

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  Main Street Money: How to Outwit, Outsmart, and Out Invest the Wall Street Bullies , Hörbuch, Digital, ungekürzt, 570min

  Why don't folks see that stockbrokers can't predict the future? After all, people scoff at astrologers and tarot card readers, but if some guy in a suit says he is a market analyst, people can't wait to hear his insider advice for what to do during a stock run or slump. Investment adviser Mark Matson calls these so-called experts what they are: bullies. They are bullies because they line their own pockets by pushing mom-and-pop investors into taking risks they don't fully understand. His plainspoken new financial guide will show you how to outwit, outsmart, and out-invest Wall Street bullies. The wisdom contained in these pages will give you peace of mind about investing your hard-earned dollars. Instead of special tricks or hot tips, Matson teaches how to seek wealth responsibly by utilizing the free market and ignoring the three big investment lies propagated by Wall Street. Main Street Money: How to Outwit, Outsmart, and Out Invest the Wall Street Bullies is a book that believes every individual can become a portfolio master who can rise up and take control over his or her own financial future. To do so, novice investors will need to learn every trick and trap in their path. Matson knows these follies all too well. For the first years of his career, he worked in the belly of the beast on Wall Street, recruiting clients to invest in mutual funds whose managers falsely promised they could outperform the market. "Doing client reviews with investors and trying to explain why all of the gurus from the biggest mutual fund companies like Vanguard, Fidelity, American Funds, and Templeton were losing to the market was gut-wrenching," Matson writes. "I was failing my clients. I couldn't eat or sleep, the stress was mounting. If I couldn't pick the best managers in advance, what good was I?" ungekürzt. Language: English. Narrator: Mark E. Matson. Audio sample: https://samples.audible.de/bk/acx0/025895/bk_acx0_025895_sample.mp3. Digital audiobook in aax.

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  Wahabbism: The History of the Conservative Islamic Religious Movement in Saudi Arabia , Hörbuch, Digital, ungekürzt, 113min

  In May 2017, President Donald Trump made his first foreign visit, and the first stop was to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. For Trump, this visit signified a step towards not only reaffirming and strengthening alliances in the Muslim world, but also taking the opportunity to explicitly lay out the new administration's approach to dealing with terrorism. During his speech in Riyadh, Trump stated his pleasure with the opening of the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology in Saudi Arabia. What is ironic is that the very same extremist ideology that radical Muslim extremists practice is inspired by the Wahhabi ideology propagated by Saudi Arabia and the surrounding countries in the Arabian Gulf. Nonetheless, the West has maintained a close relationship with the Al-Saud family for nearly two centuries, not only most notably due to Saudi Arabia’s oil supply, but also because they have provided a counterbalance against adversaries in the region. Despite this long history, there is speculation that President Trump’s approach to extremist ideology will be markedly different from past presidents, and the world was waiting for his speech in Riyadh to confirm this change. In Trump’s strong speech, he stated, “As we deny terrorist organizations control of territory and populations, we must also strip them of their access to funds. We must cut off the financial channels that let ISIS sell oil, let extremists pay their fighters, and help terrorists smuggle their reinforcements.” Wahhabism is the most common form of politicized fundamentalist Islam, now most associated with the Islamic State and Al Qaeda and the official religion of Saudi Arabia and Qatar. It is widespread throughout the Islamic world, especially in Pakistan and Afghanistan (where it was the official religion of the Taliban). Together, the Saudi and al-Wahhab families formed a potent alliance, with the Saudis gaining an ideological backing for their small state and the Wahhabis gaining ungekürzt. Language: English. Narrator: Bill Hare. Audio sample: https://samples.audible.de/bk/acx0/108552/bk_acx0_108552_sample.mp3. Digital audiobook in aax.

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  Summary of Edward Luce's The Retreat of Western Liberalism: Key Takeaways & Analysis , Hörbuch, Digital, ungekürzt, 31min

  Please note: This is a summary, analysis, and review of the book and not the original book. Edward Luce's in-depth analysis of the decline of democracy, The Retreat of Western Liberalism, explores the myriad factors affecting the shift away from a political system many readers will have taken for granted in their lifetimes. This Sumoreads summary and analysis offers supplementary material to The Retreat of Western Liberalism to help you distill the key takeaways, review the book's content, and further understand the writing style and overall themes from an editorial perspective. Whether you'd like to deepen your understanding, refresh your memory, or simply decide whether or not this book is for you, this Sumoreads summary and analysis is here to help. Absorb everything you need to know in under 35 minutes! What does this SUMOREADS summary & analysis include?   An executive summary of the original book Editorial review Key takeaways & analysis Brief chapter summaries A short bio of the author Original book summary overview   Western hegemony has begun a decline in recent decades, while Russian and Chinese dominance has slowly, but steadily, grown. Are we wrong to put our faith in liberal democracy? Is there prosperity in Eastern-style autocracy? In The Retreat of Western Liberalism, Edward Luce takes the reader through the events and people that propagated Western democracy to the height of its popularity in past decades, and explores the factors that are contributing to its decline today. This book looks into the possible trajectories of recent events, and what, if anything, can be done to save Western liberalism. Before you buy: The purpose of this Sumoreads summary and analysis is to help you decide if it’s worth the time, money and effort listening to the original book (if you haven’t already). S ungekürzt. Language: English. Narrator: Michael London Anglado. Audio sample: https://samples.audible.de/bk/acx0/109607/bk_acx0_109607_sample.mp3. Digital audiobook in aax.

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  Opus Dei and the Jesuits: The History and Legacy of the Roman Catholic Church's Most Famous Orders , Hörbuch, Digital, ungekürzt, 142min

  Thanks to Dan Brown's best-selling novel turned blockbuster mega-hit, The Da Vinci Code, in which audiences were introduced to Silas, the villainous, self-whipping monk, corporal mortification is now a term most often associated with Opus Dei. A creepy, deranged, and blood-thirsty albino monk, Silas is most remembered for viciously whipping himself with a nail-embedded cilice. For added suspense, various falsehoods of the real-life order have been propagated by the literary masterpiece; in fact, the character of Silas contains one of the foremost bloopers, as there were never any monks in the order. Hollywood magic aside, the Opus Dei describes itself as a Catholic-based organization composed of “ordinary” Christian laymen and a small fraction of priests who have dedicated their lives to spreading the word and love of God. Its founder, Josemaría Escrivá, has since been inducted into the sainthood.  Though some have taken the sinister portrayals of the Opus Dei in good humor, much the way similar conspiracy theories hound the Freemasons, the depiction of the order has left a bad taste in the mouths of many, including the Opus Dei themselves. Members of the powerful Catholic organization have risen to their own defense. Having said that, while there are indeed a trove of glittering claims that can be quickly disproven, some of the scandals the group has found itself involved in have left plenty of people stroking their chins. On top of allegations of connections and unfair favoritism from the Vatican, chronicles of stories from former members have continuously surfaced over the years.  Of all of the important Catholic men and women who have been venerated over the last 2,000 years, one of the faith’s most popular and influential men also lived one of the most unique lives. ungekürzt. Language: English. Narrator: Scott Clem. Audio sample: https://samples.audible.de/bk/acx0/100761/bk_acx0_100761_sample.mp3. Digital audiobook in aax.

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